Australia Proposes Opt-Out From Algorithmic Social Media Feeds

Australia has proposed legislation that would give social media users a choice between algorithmically recommended content and a default feed limited to accounts they follow.

The “My Feed, My Way” proposal forms part of the government’s draft Digital Duty of Care legislation. If passed, social media platforms would need to notify new and existing users over the age of 16 and ask which type of feed they want to use.

For creators and affiliate marketers, the proposal raises an important question: what happens to organic product discovery when users can switch off the recommendation systems that introduce them to unfamiliar accounts?

Key Takeaways: Australia’s Proposed Social Media Algorithm Opt-Out

• Australian users over 16 would be able to opt in or out of personalized recommendations.
• Users who opt out would see content from friends and creators they have chosen to follow.
• Platforms would need to notify both new and existing users about the choice.
• Reduced use of recommendation feeds could affect non-follower discovery for affiliate creators.
• The legislation remains at the consultation stage and has not yet been passed by Parliament.

Users Would Choose Their Default Feed

Under the Australian government’s proposal, platforms would present users with a notification offering two options.

Users could retain a default feed containing content selected through personalized recommendation algorithms. Alternatively, they could opt out of personally recommended content and see posts from friends and creators they have actively chosen to follow.

The proposal would not remove recommendation systems or prevent users from choosing algorithmic feeds. It would instead require platforms to provide a clear choice and respect the user’s selected preference.

The government has not yet explained how the requirement would apply across individual discovery surfaces such as short-form video feeds, search results or Explore-style pages. It also remains unclear whether the rules would affect paid advertising, social-commerce recommendations or only the content appearing in a user’s main feed.

That distinction matters as platforms increasingly connect recommendation systems with shopping. YouTube, for example, is testing local retailer matching for creator-tagged affiliate products, potentially changing which merchant offer a viewer receives after engaging with creator content.

Recommendation Feeds Support Affiliate Discovery

Algorithmic recommendations allow creators to reach people who do not already follow their accounts. A product review, tutorial or comparison can appear in front of a new audience based on previous viewing and engagement behavior.

That exposure has become an important part of social affiliate marketing. It allows relatively small creators to generate traffic and sales without first building a large follower base.

Platforms can already restrict this type of discovery without suspending an account. Instagram recently confirmed that it may limit recommendation reach for undisclosed AI-generated profiles, preventing affected accounts from reaching people who do not follow them while leaving access for existing followers intact.

If a meaningful percentage of Australian users selects a following-only feed, creators could experience a similar loss of non-follower exposure for a different reason. The effect would depend on adoption, platform implementation and whether recommendation-led discovery remains available elsewhere within each app.

Established creators with loyal audiences may be less exposed to the change. Smaller or newer creators that depend heavily on recommendation feeds for growth could face a greater challenge.

The proposal may therefore increase the importance of converting occasional viewers into followers, subscribers or members of an owned community. A follower would become more valuable if that relationship determines whether a creator continues appearing in the user’s default feed.

Implementation Will Determine the Commercial Effect

The practical impact will depend partly on how prominently platforms present the choice.

According to Reuters, the European Union already requires platforms to provide an option that is not based on user profiling under the Digital Services Act. European regulators have nevertheless raised concerns about whether some services made that choice sufficiently accessible.

Australia’s proposal specifically requires platforms to notify users. Failure to comply with the broader Digital Duty of Care could result in penalties of up to A$109.2 million, with the eSafety Commissioner responsible for enforcement.

Platforms would also need to document the measures they take to identify and reduce risks affecting Australian users. The wider legislation includes additional requirements intended to protect people under 18 from harmful content and potentially addictive design features.

What Affiliate Teams Should Watch

Affiliate managers and creators do not need to change their strategies yet. The proposal is still undergoing consultation, and the government plans to introduce legislation to Parliament later in 2026.

However, teams operating in Australia should watch for several details:

• Whether the option applies only to the main feed or to every recommendation surface.
• How frequently platforms must remind users about their chosen setting.
• Whether paid partnership posts and shopping recommendations are treated differently.
• How platforms report reach from followers compared with recommendation systems.
• Whether adoption produces a measurable change in affiliate clicks and conversions.

Affiliate teams should also consider how platform-specific quality systems interact with changing recommendation rules. TikTok Shop’s Promotion Performance Score already connects affiliate visibility with product selection and content quality, showing that access to recommendation reach can depend on more than audience engagement alone.

The proposal does not mean algorithmic discovery is ending. It could, however, reduce the assumption that every social media user will automatically receive a personalized recommendation feed.

For affiliate creators, that would make direct audience relationships—and the ability to retain viewers after the first discovery—more important.